The recent school bus fire could hamper the recovery of tour operators for the remainder of this year, particularly in the domestic market as people are losing confidence, according to the Thai Transportation Operators Association.
Private operators and related public authorities should swiftly update evacuation drills for bus passengers and make this process a regular practice, said association president Wasuchet Sophonsathien.
At least 23 people, mostly children, died when a school bus caught fire during a field trip on Tuesday in Bangkok.
Education Minister Pol Gen Permpoon Chidchob immediately banned field trips for students and required stringent safety measures if trips were to continue.
Mr Wasuchet said field trips benefit children, but related parties need to improve safety measures and teach evacuation drills to prevent accidents in the future.
He said this incident has caused public unease over tour bus services, particularly among parents with kids who participate in school trips, as well as domestic tourists.
The domestic market, which has been sluggish recently because of flooding, faces another challenge with the bus fire, said Mr Wasuchet.
This incident could significantly damage bus operators' business, which has not recovered from the pandemic, although the negative sentiment should not last long, he said.
The association, which has around 200 companies as members that utilise 4,000 buses, has already instructed all members to improve their safety measures, including maintenance check-ups and reminding all drivers and staff to educate passengers about emergency exits and evacuation tools.
From now on, all buses must show a safety video to passengers, as happens on aircraft.
Mr Wasuchet said the bus that caught fire is owned by an operator that is not a member of the association.
According to reports, the bus operator complied with the law, including conducting regular check-ups and owning insurance.
He said he believes if the driver was trained properly, more lives could have been saved.
The association attended the fire scene as an observer on Wednesday, helping the investigation to determine if it was an accident.
After this incident, Mr Wasuchet hopes to draw more operators into the association, helping to create close communications, especially with state transport authorities.
For the upcoming high season, he said the recovery of bus tours is slower than expected as there are fewer Chinese and European tour groups, even with Chinese Golden Week and the high season for international markets in this period.
